Contra Dance

The contemporary contra dance is a dance after the announcement, the processes in the rhythm of the music is danced in opposing lines, the so-called streets. See there for the historical counterpoint dance.

Dissemination and designation

Contra dancing is nowadays mainly danced mainly in the USA, in the New England states. In Europe it is mainly distributed in the Benelux countries, Scandinavia, Great Britain and rare in Germany.

In the modern version of this dance style is referred to both as a contra dance as well as contra dance. The German name is more in the area of population and seniors dances in use, while the American name of dancers is needed who know this dance style from the neighborhood of the related folk dance forms of square dancing and round dancing.

Music

The music during a contra dance is structured so that a sequence of eight beats corresponds to a musical phrase, and eight of such phrases form a part of the figure. This part of the figure is repeated until the end of the dance.

Contra Dance is often danced to live music, at least where this folk dance form is still widespread. The rhythms are reels or jigs. The music consists of two melody parts A and B, and the connection is reminiscent of a verse and a chorus. Each part consists of 16 beats (steps ) and is repeated so that the discernible structure AABB results. The complete sequence of figures thus contains 64 steps. Since most figures with eight, some are danced with four or sixteen steps, results in a harmony between music and movement.

Prompter

A special feature of the Contra Dance, the announcer is ( Prompter ), rehearsing the dance figures, individual movement sequences and step sequences in time with the music while the music indicating when and how long something is danced. The Prompter explains each dance before it is danced to the music. So that every dancer has an idea of what to expect during the dance, and the figures can easily be danced. By the time the appropriate announcements of the figures of the Prompter leads the dancers through the dance. This puts the dancer in a position to dance with them dance spontaneously, without having to learn it by heart. During the dance, the dancers learn the sequence of figures, and the Prompter can give less evidence, to the dancers finally keep dancing the dance alone.

Construction and lineups

When Contra Dance predefined processes are, as is typical also for Square Dance and Round Dance, danced on call that are executed in accordance with the music in a fluid motion. The set of interwoven geometric sequences are danced in accordance with the structure of the music. The figures are similar to those of the traditional square dance. You can dance in one fluid motion, the ball of the foot should be placed in front of the heel.

Basic installation

The couple stand behind each other on with a view towards the leader. It is in each pair of the lady to the right of the Lord. Now everyone turns to the partner. This is also " simple counterpoint " (English " proper" ) called the basic shape of each Contra lineup.

During the dance, each pair moves up or down, the partners remain the dance about together. Back to top means in the direction of the music and the prompter's down accordingly thinks of the music and the Prompter away. If the pairs are numbered from the top ( 1,2,1,2, ... ), the couples dance 1 down, 2 pairs up. This ensures that each couple dances in the street with every other pair during the dance.

Cross over the two- sentence

This is the most common grid for the contra dance. From basic installation starting the pairs are numbered from the top ( 1,2,1,2, ...). In all pairs, one lady and then swap places (English " cross over" ). This is the list of the alley to the " double cross- over in the two- sentence" (English " improper" ). " Cross Over " refers to the alternating formation of men and women in an alley and "two set " refers to the fact that another in a sub-group ( set) dance in this list are always two pairs together, that each have a pair 1 and pair 2.

Two couples dancing to intuiting the specified sequence. During this process they change places (Progress ), so that they dance in the next play-through the same sequence with a new pair. During the dance the couples one move further and further down and the couples two upward until they reach the end of the alley. At the end of the alley, the couples have to wait during one game. They change places and then come up with the other number and the other direction back into the dance.

Becket formation

The dances were done in pairs opposite, each lady on the right side.

Double progress

Some Cons have a "double progress," ie, that the couples get stuck in every sequence of two places. Then there is very little waiting time at the ends of the alley.